Refill device for cartridges of ball point pens



Oct. 31, 1961 H. H. GREIS 7 3,006,386

REFILL DEVICE FOR CARTRIDGES OF BALL POINT PENS Filed NOV. 20, 1959INVENTOR. HARRY H. GREIS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,995,335Fatented Get. 31,, 1961 3,006,386 REFILL DEVIE FQR CARTRIEGES F BALLPOINT PENS Harry H. Greis, 25 E. 213th St., Bronx, N.Y. Filed Nov. 20,1959, Ser. No. 854,359 2 Claims. (Cl. 14130) This invention concerns anink filling device for ball point pens.

The filling and refilling of a ball point pen cartridge with the usualviscous ink employed for ball point pens presents a number ofdifificulties. The conventional ball point pen cartridge has a tubecontaining the viscous ink which is removed from the cartridge by therolling ball tip. It is not possible to refill the cartridge from thetip end of the pen because the space between the rolling ball tip andits seat is too minute. Recourse must be had to the free open end of theink containing tube of the cartridge.

It has been proposed in Patent 2,408,256 to provide a fillingarrangement in which the cartridge tube has a flared open end and theportion of the tube adjacent the open end is threaded for insertion ofthe threaded end of a collapsible filling tube. This structure has beenfound disadvantageous since it requires special machining and processingto flare the ends of the cartridge tubes and to provide interiorthreads, all of which increases the cost of manufacture. Furthermore,there has been found the difficulty of releasing trapped air in thecartridge tube when a filling tube is screwed into the cartridge tube. Afurther disadvantage is that the above mentioned filling arrangement isnot adaptable to use with conventional cartridge tubes having straight,unthreaded cylindrical ends. When the tip of the filling tube isinserted into the open end of a conventional cylindrical cartridge tube,air becomes trapped as the viscous ink passes from the collapsible tube.A further disadvantage is that the collapsible filling tube cannot berefilled with a fresh supply of ink.

The present invention is directed at overcoming difficulties anddisadvantages heretofore encountered and at providing an improvedfilling device for a ball point pen cartridge.

According to the invention, there is provided a plastic container havinga removable cap so that the container can be filled and refilled with afresh supply of ink of desired viscous consistency. A long, cylindricaltube is secured in the other end of the container. This filling tube hasa length at least as long as the interior of a cartridge tube of a ballpoint pen. The diameter of the filling tube is substantially equal tothat of the interior of the cartridge and fits snugly therein in a goodfriction fit. The container is made of flexible plastic material so thatit can be squeezed to reduce its volume and force ink therein into thefilling tube, and from there to the cartridge tube. In another form ofthe invention. the filling tube is part of a plunger having a diskfitted in the cylindrical container of ink and adapted to be movedaxially in the container for forcing the viscous ink out of thecontainer through the filling tube.

The invention contemplates that the ink might also move out of thecontainer into the filling tube and from the filling tube to thecartridge tube by gravity.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a novelink filling device for a cartridge of a ball point pen.

It is a further object to provide an ink dispensing device adapted forfilling cylindrical cartridge tubes of ball point pens.

Another object is to provide an ink dispensing device which serveseffectively to remove air from a cartridge tube prior to filling andwhich prevents entry of air into the cartridge tube during filling. Itwill, of course, be understood that if an air bubble is allowed to formin the body of ink in the cartridge tube of the ball point pen, then thepen will become inoperative. This is due to the fact that a ball pointpen employs the phenomenon of capillarity to draw ink from the cartridgetube. If an air bubble reaches the tube, a void or space is createdbetween the ball and the remainder of the body of ink. The occurrence ofthis void renders the pen inoperative.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material par of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the filling tubeper se of the device.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the several components of thedevice, a portion of the filling tube being broken away.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing another form of theinvention, part of the filling tube being shown in elevation.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view partially in section, taken on line 66 ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective View on a enlarged scale of the filling tubeemployed in the device of FIG. 3, part of the filling tube being brokenaway.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the bottom end of the tube on anenlarged scale.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, there is shown a cylindrical container 10having an open end formed with a bead 12 on which is detachablyengageable a cap 14 having an inwardly turned annular lip 15 forengaging the bead 12. The container is made of flexible plastic materialso that its cylindrical wall 11 can be squeezed as indicated by thedotted lines at 11 in FIG. 1 to reduce the internal volume of thecontainer. The container may be filled with a supply of viscous ink 16.The bottom 18 of the container is formed with a central hole 20 throughwhich extends a long cylindrical tube 22. The bottom end of the tube iscut away forming a slanting end edge 24 having a pointed extreme tip24'. A passage 26 extends entirely through the tube, opening into thecontainer 10. Secured to the inner end of the tube is a flange 28 bestshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This flange is enbedded in a recess 31 in theinner side of the bottom 18 of the container. A removable conical cap 32having a threaded bore 33 is provided for receiving and closing thetapered tip end 24 of the tube which is threaded at 25 near the taperedend. Tube 22 has an exterior length as long as or longer than the lengthof the tube 40 of the cartridge 42 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Thediameter of the tube 22 is substantially equal to that of the interiorof tube 49.

To fill the cartridge tube 46. the cap 32 is removed from tube 22. Thecontainer 1% is squeezed until the ink completely fills the tube 22 andappears at the tip end 24. The tube 22 is then inserted into the tube 40as far as it will go while the walls of the container are still beingsqueezed. Any air which may be in the empty tube 40 will be dischargedat the tip end 44 of the cartridge. The tapered tip 24- facilitatesentry of tube 22 into tube 46. The air will flow out past the ball 45 incartridge 42. After tube 22 is fully inserted in tube 49 there will beno air in either tube. The container may then be squeezed further toforce the ink out of tube 22 into tube 40. As the ink enters tube 40,the tube 22 is gradually withdrawn. This may occur due to the backpressure of ink entering tube 40 so that the tube 22 is forced out oftube 40 as it fills with ink. The minute space around the ball in itsseat becomes closed because the air outside either forces the ballupward in its seat or the ink forces the ball down in its seat. Thus,the tube 4! is filled without the formation of air bubbles in the ink.After the tube 41 is filled, the wall 11 of the container is releasedand air pressure pushes the ink remaining in tube 22 back into thecontainer. The cap 32 may then be replaced. When all the ink in thecontainer is discharged, the container can be refilled by removing cap14.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7, a disk or plug 50 isprovided. This disk has a recess 51 in which is secured flange 28 of thetube 22 This disk is made of leather, plastic or other suitable packingmaterial which will engage the interior of wall it of container with asnug friction fit. the container is flat since the recess 3% of wall 13is not required. Tube 22 is longer than tube 22. The length of tube 22is substantially equal to the combined axial lengths of the interiors ofcontainer 19 and of cartridge tube 48. Tube 22 and disk 5% act as aplunger to apply pressure upwardly against the ink supply 16 in thecontainer. The ink enters opening 23 in the disk and the aligned passage26 in tube 2?. when the tube 22 is pushed upwardly through hole iii inthe container toward cap 14 As the ink enters the tube 22 the disk 50moves upwardly in the container until finally the dotted line position51? of the disk is reached near the top of the container. The top of thecontainer can be externally threaded at 53 and cap 14 can becorrespondingly threaded to insure a secure removable engagement of thecap on the container. The container Wall 11*- need not be flexible, andfor this form of the invention is preferably rigid.

To fill the cartridge tube 40 when using the form of the invention shownin FIGS. 5-7, the cartridge 42 will be disposed upright with the ball 45resting on a flat surface. The tube 22 will first be forced upwardly sothat its passage 26 is filled with ink. Tube 21, will then be insertedinto tube 40 and air will be discharged past the ball 45 as previouslydescribed and tube 22 will completely fill the interior of tube 46. Thecontainer 1t) will now be pulled downwardly axially. Tube 22 will not beheld and will be able to rise as the ink being discharged from its tipend 24 fills tube 40 and forces tube 22 out of tube 40. Thus, as thetube 40 fills with ink the filling tube 22 is automatically forced outby the ink. As a result no air bubbles can form in the tube 4'0. Whenthe tube 40 is filled, cap 32 can be screwed on the tip end of tube 22The tube 22 can be left in its partially inserted position in container16 If desired, the tube 22 can be pulled out prior to putting on cap 32,which will cause air to enter the open tip end of the tube 22 and forcethe ink therein back upwardly into the container. The cap 32 can then bescrewed on the open end 24 of the tube 22 While I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructionsherein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be madewithin the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent 1. A filling device for acartridge tube of a ball point pen, comprising a cylindrical containerof viscous ink,

The bottom 18*- of said container having open and closed ends, aremovable cap closing the open end of the container for repeatedlyfilling the container with said ink, a long cylindrical filling tubecommunicating with the interior of said container for receiving said inktherefrom, said tube having a length at least as long as that of saidcartridge tube, and a diameter equal to the interior of said cartridgetube so that said cylindrical filling tube is forced out of saidcartridge tube by pressure of ink as the cartridge tube is filled withink from the filling tube, while air is prevented from entering thecartridge tube, said container having a rigid cylindrical wall, acylindrical disk secured to said tube inside the container, said diskbeing slidable in said container in frictional contact with saidcylindrical wall to apply pressure to the ink in the container, saiddisk having a central hole registering with a passage in said fillingtube so that ink under pressure passes "through said hole and passage,said closed end of the container being formed by a fiat bottom wall witha central aperture, said filling tube being axially slidable throughsaid central aperture as said disk moves in the container, said capbeing threaded and engaged upon a corresponding threaded portion of saidcontainer to resist the pressure on the ink as said disk is moved in thecontainer against the ink, said filling tube having a tapered tip end tofacilitate entry of the filling tube in said cartridge tube, and anothercap having a threaded bore for detachably engaging on a thread near thetip end of the filling tube, said filling tube having a length at leastas long as the combined lengths of the interior of said container andsaid cartridge tube.

2. A filling device for a cartridge tube of a ball point pen, comprisinga cylindrical container of viscous ink, said container having open andclosed ends, a removable cap closing the open end of the container forrepeatedly filling the container with said ink, a long cylindricalfilling tube communicating with the interior of said container forreceiving said ink therefrom, said tube having a length at least as longas that of said cartridge tube, and a diameter equal to the interior ofsaid cartridge tube so that said cylindrical filling tube is forced outof said cartridge tube by pressure of ink as the cartridge tube isfilled with nk from the filling tube, while air is prevented fromenterlng the cartridge tube, said container having a rigid cylindricalwall, a cylindrical disk secured to said tube inside the container, saiddisk being slidable in said container in frictional contact with saidcylindrical wall to apply pressure to the ink in the container, saiddisk having a central hole registering with a passage in said fillingtube so that ink under pressure passes through said hole and passage,said closed end of the container being formed by a fiat bottom Wall witha central aperture, said filling tube geing axially slidable throughsaid central aperture as said disk moves in the container, said fillingtube having a length at least as long as the combined lengths of theinterior of said container and said cartridge tube so that one portionof the filling tube may enter said said container while the remainder ofthe filling tube is disposed in the cartridge tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ,229Donovan Ian. 27, 1920 3, 54 Stringfellow Feb. 20, 1934 ,959 Kovacs May22, 1934 7,690 Nitardy 0a. 6, 1942 2,573,907 Tupper Dec. 18, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 6 ,Australia Apr. 24, 1952 678,033: Great Britain Aug.27, 1952

